FAMILY RAMPHASTIDAE 523 



The life history of this species was studied in detail on Barro Colo- 

 rado Island by Josselyn Van Tyne (Univ. Mich. Mus. Zool. Misc. 

 Publ. no. 19, 1929, pp. 1-43). Though the species was common it 

 was secretive in nesting, as in detailed search through two breeding 

 seasons Van Tyne was able to find only 5 nests. These were in 

 holes in large trees, ranging from a little less than 3 meters to more 

 than 25 meters above the ground, 1 nest so located in a huge tree 

 that it could not be reached. Three of the 4 nests that were accessible 



Figure 68. — Keel -billed toucan, paleton, Ramphastos sulfuratus brevicarinatus. 



held 1, 3, and 4 eggs respectively. In the fourth he found a single 

 young bird a few days old. The eggs, "are dull white in color and are 

 curiously sculptured with irregular pitted grooves extending length- 

 wise along the egg, and becoming most prominent at the large end. 

 At the small end of the egg they become less distinct or tend to disap- 

 pear entirely." From the illustration (loc. cit., pi. IV, fig. 7) the eggs 

 varied from elliptical to short subelliptical in form. Measurements 

 were as follows : 38-40.5 X 28-30 mm. The young on hatching were 

 entirely naked, pinkish in color, changing in "a few hours to a peculiar 

 golden flesh color." He noted a well-developed egg tooth. 



Both male and female incubated the eggs. In addition to the usual 



